Actually, the battle over which new high-definition DVD format will earn your gift-buying dollars this holiday season may already be over. Which is why Disney’s Magical Blu-ray Tour, the studio’s whistlestop campaign to promote the more prevalent of the two rival formats, felt more like a victory lap than a PR offensive.
At least it did to me as I attended the tour’s 11th stop on Friday in Long Island. Blu-ray reps weren’t fretting over their competition, and the atmosphere was more consumer-friendly than cutthroat publicity campaign. No wonder, since, six of the eight major studios have decided to side with Blu-ray (Paramount and Universal being the sole dissenters) and more than 170 companies adopting the format. Not to mention, more of your favorite titles — like Pirates of the Caribbean 3 (pictured) and Cars — will be available only on Blu-ray, while Michael Bay’s Transformers is one of the few dealbreakers HD has in its arsenal.
So, what’s the difference? And what does this format skirmish mean to you? After all, both Blu-ray and HD, viewed on one of those $2,000, 1080p flat-screens, offer jaw-dropping visual clarity. Both formats will have theatersscrambling for higher quality, as evidenced by the widerelease of Beowulf on IMAX and digital projection screens next month. Both Blu-ray and HD are backwards compatible, so I don’t have to chuck the 150 DVDs I already own. And both have a high level of interaction. Get bored watching Cars and you can actually play along with the movie. Want to know about Lightning McQueen and the history of the Ford GT40? Just push a button. If you’ve already spent all your lunch money for a PS3 or XBox 360, then you know about the interactivity afforded by Blu-ray and HD. Play movies, video games, CDs, and access the Internet all on one console — kind of hard not to use the cliché, "something for the whole family."
As a non-tech-geek consumer, the major difference I see is availability. One of the few legs HD really has to stand on is its cheaper price (about 100 bucks), which to a broke post-grad such as myself is a major selling point. But with only two studios backing the HD format, there aren’t that many titles offered. (At least, not in the States, though you can find more HD titles if you’re willing to buy your discs from overseas retailers.) Plus, Toshiba and Microsoft are the only companies offering HD players, the idea being that Microsoft will have some type of computer download compatibility, because, as you may have heard, that’s the way of the future.
Still, I doubt this will be a major revolution like VHS to DVD or cassette to CD. I’d say it’ll be the equivalent of Betamax, Laserdisc, and MiniDisc all falling by the wayside. In the end, though, it’s really up to you, the consumer, which format survives. So, what’s it going to be? Blu-ray or HD? I’m abstaining ’cause my TV is a 20-inch dud — cleaning my screen with Windex is the closest thing I get to high-def.
*Full disclosure: The PR folks for Disney were kind enough to send a carto the EW offices in Manhattan for the hour-long ride to Garden City.(I’m weak and I’ve been humping it on the subway for three straightmonths.) But I promise, despite the free water they gave me, I remainedunbiased and did my HD homework before being bombarded with pro-Blu-raypamphlets.
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I actually just got a PS3 so it is blu-ray for me! Yay!
Right now, neither. Both sides are constantly making claims they are the “winner” and when you look at the actual numbers, standard DVD is still like 90-something percent of the market because most people don’t feel it’s worth the extra cost and don’t want to get stuck with DVDs or players that will be obsolete once this format war redux is over. Let’s not forget that there are only hundreds of title available in high def. as opposed to tens of thousands in standard def.
Personally, I see potential in a third format, HD-VMD. It was developed in Europe and while the players are a bit pricey (just under $200 for one on Amazon, which is still better than pretty much any Blu-Ray or HD-DVD player)), what few titles they do have don’t cost much more than regular DVDs. Of course, the title selection is pretty pitiful unless you are a Bollywood fan, and it looks like Blu-Ray and HD-DVD have their hooks in the Hollywood studios. A girl can dream…
We bought an HD DVD player a few months ago. For the sake of the money we spent on it, I’d really prefer that HD overcome Blu-ray. Sigh.
Neither. I’m sticking with DVDs.
I am just furious about this. Ever since I heard about this STUPID FORMAT WAR I stopped buying any DVDs. I refuse to buy a Blu-Ray machine. I already own 2 dvd players AND a dvd recorder. Now I have to buy ANOTHER frickin’ machine in order to see certain movies? No way. I think we the public are the losers in this scenario. And soon the studios because I can’t see the majority of the country running out to buy new machines.
Not to mention the fact that in a few years we are all going to have to thrown out all our TVs and buy new ones because they will have to be able to receive the high def signals.
It sure sounds like a clever idea to get us all to spend more money. Just like cell phones and computers seem to just crap out after a few years.
There are more than 2 supporters for HD-DVD. Do your research before you post. Paramount, Dreamworks and Universal are the only EXCLUSIVE supporters to HD-DVD. They still have Warner and all the others except for Sony/MGM and Disney I think.
Obviously LaRue hasn’t the breaking news that Wal-Mart has just dropped the bomb on the Blu-ray mob/oligopoly:
It’s official. CNN Money and Fortune Magazine confirm on October 25th that Wal-Mart has begun selling Toshiba’s second-generation HD-A2 HD DVD player for $198.
Wal-Mart spokesperson Melissa O’Brien confirmed the rollback: “We reduced our HD DVD Toshiba player, the generation-two, to $198 earlier in the week.” O’Brien also denied rumors that each Wal-Mart store would stock only 18 units of the Toshiba player, saying: “There are no limited quantities for stores or purchases.”
Hi-Def Digest reports that the $198 price for Toshiba HD-A2 is currently being offered for in-store purchases only. Wal-Mart’s website still lists the player at $274.
http://bigtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2007/10/25/hd-dvd-vs-blu-ray-wal-mart-offers-toshiba-player-for-under-200/
http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Toshiba/Wal-Mart/Wal-Mart_Stocks_Sub-$200_HD_DVD_Player/1110
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It’s been long predicted by analysts and observers that whichever hi-def disc player that hits the consumers’ “sweet spot” of $199 and makes its way into Wal-Mart will win the HD format war.
you seems pretty confused. It’s HD DVD, not HD. Blu-ray is technically HD as well. So it’s Blu-ray vs. HD DVD.
Blu-Ray has won — Because it comes in PS3, but mainly because it has a distinctive name. you KNOW what you’re talking about with Blu-Ray (and it sounds cool too) whereas HD-DVD sounds, I don’t know, generic and unsure…
HD DVD right now actually has an edge over BluRay, considering the below $200 player.
Also, out of HD player sales, Toshiba is actually dominating the market as compared to the multiple players being put out by various BluRay supporters.
Plus, hasn’t history taught us enough? Anything Sony backs is going down the drain. coughbetamaxcough
Also, the thing about Transformers being the only big thing HD DVD has to offer is wrong. What about the Bourne Ultimatum? It’s coming out soon and is only available in HD DVD, along with most big television box sets such as Heroes.
Paramount also just dropped BR to go to HD DVD. That’s saying something.
Seriously, do your research better. Is this the kind of “research” you are allowed to turn in? I worked at Circuit City for one summer and I know more.
Blu-Ray all the way. Nothing against HD but blu-ray is the format that would last longer. I believe it’s limits will be pushed further then the HD DVD
If the VHS-Beta war taught us anything, it’s that the format that allows adult videos will be the one that wins. Which gives HD-DVD the edge.
Stepsi, I don’t know if you have noticed, but PS3 sales are extremely under what they were supposed to be, and thus are nott that large of a factor in the decision. Also I would say HD DVD is not confusing at all, but actually quite obvious, HD is a term very familiar to most people’s vocabulary, at least more familiar than blue-ray.
I choose Blu-Ray. Come on! Even Michael Bay who has the best selling Transformers on HD DVD knows who will win..ITS BLU-RAY! But I wish BD has Transformers…
Well, as a supporter of both formats I don’t see the Blu-Ray advantage that some people are seeing. Besides big exclusives like Transformers and Bourne Ultimatum coming out this year, next year’s summer blockbusters – Universal’s The Incredible Hulk and Paramount’s Iron Man are both HD-DVD exclusive. And the other two major flicks, Warner Bros. The Dark Knight will be out on both formats and Indiana Jones? Well, I’ve heard Spielberg is a Blu-Ray supporter but it doesn’t seem like his catalog is going to be released just yet so we’ll just have to wait for a confirmation on that release. Anyway, the point is – it looks like both formats are here to stay so don’t get your hopes up if you’re waiting for this “war” to end.
HD
hd all the way it’s cheaper and same quality as blu..
none. I’m still with the masses who love and watch DVDs. Can’t deny that it’s cos I’m a broke post-grad but even if I had the money to splurge on any, the dvd war would piss me off more.
Blu-Ray will win hands down,the theoretical limit on a BR disc is 300GB where as HD-DVD technology is based entirely on the old DVD format all they have done is narrowed the grooves and pits.
If you want quadruple layer Blu Ray discs capable of holding an entire season on a single disc in 1080p glory the choice is obvious.
Oh, Blu-Ray all the way. They both can offer the same image and sound, but Blu-Ray came with my PS3, which is a deal-breaker to me. I’m not about to go out and buy another player just for Transformers. I’ll stick it out with other movies and DVD’s for the ones not released on Blu-Ray. Not to mention that for being future proof, Blu-Ray stores considerably more data than HD-DVD, so it allows for longer movies without putting them on 2 discs and more features. The battle was decided for me personally once I saw the specs on both. Really, they both can (and do) use the same compression algorithms, so the quality on both is the same. But with more storage space, and with it built into my PS3, there was no question about which format I’d choose.
I totaly forgot about the new format that may make both of them obsolete before they actualy begin,the new holographic disk’s with the ability to store upto 3 TB of data 1 TB = 1000 GB also they have a data transfer rate of 1Gbps,in perspective Blu Ray’s transfer speed is 54Mbps and HD-DVD is around 36Mbps.
So hear’s to 3D holographic disk’s that if come to fruition will make BR and HD-DVD the laserdisc of this generation .
I’ve got an HD-DVD player, so I’m rooting for HD-DVD. I believe that Toshiba’s dedicated player pricing strategy will eventually overcome Sony’s Blu-Ray=PS3 advantage.
I plan to pass on both, I just don’t care. I’m holding out for the day when I can just download anything. 99% of the movies made in the last decade are total crap. The most innovative story telling is happening on TV and my HD DVR is perfect for that.
Blu-Ray all the way!
Neither one will win. I am sure something else will come out within the next couple of years, so for now I will stick with DVD.
Nobody can say for sure who will win this war, but comon fellas, you have to admit the Bluray format has several big advantages.
1. PS3 is the sole reason why there ARE more bluray players out there(by a large magin 5:1).
2. Bluray is a more widely supported format by movies studios (Sony also has their hand in the pot).
3. Blurays are superior in terms of capacity, durability, longevity.
These are all facts that can all be verified.
In my opinion, the PC is what will seperate the winners from the losers in the war. Double layer DVDs don’t cut it for me. a 200 gig Bluray, would be a nice medium for backing up your harddrive.
80gb PS3 with a blu-ray player only $499
People seem to forget that Paramount chose HD-DVD over blu-ray because M$ paid them $150 million for a 18 month exclusive contract. Had nothing to do with HD-DVD being the better of the two.
Who cares? I’ll stick to my regular old DVDs. They are a lot cheaper and they are still pretty darn good in terms of film quality.